Cincinnati is proud to welcome this Hurricane to our home. His legendary leadership and work ethic will be infectious to all, and his versatility will allow our offense the ability to offer myriad formations. And like most of our selections, he will bring a dynamic to our special teams coverage. We will immediately slot him in as our 3rd string RB, one that is excellent in pass blocking, pass catching, lead blocking as a fullback, and has been successful in short yardage situations. Whether we pair him with BenJarvus Green-Ellis or with Giovani Bernard, he will have to be accounted for as a movable chess piece. And in time, he may become the thunder to Bernard's lightning.

James won the following awards while at Miami, including team MVP in 2012:

2011 STRENGTH TRAINING ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
2012 ALLSTATE GOOD WORKS TEAM
2012 COMMUNITY SERVICE MAN OF THE YEAR AWARD
2012 CAPTAIN'S AWARD
2012 MELCHING LEADERSHIP AWARD
2012 JACK HARDING TEAM MOST VALUABLE PLAYER AWARD

I thought this was an interesting tidbit:

Quote:

Andreu Swasey, who has been UM’s strength and conditioning coach for 12 years, puts James up there with backfield greats such as Clinton Portis, Willis McGahee and Edgerrin James when it comes to work ethic. “I see him implementing the things and the foundation that Coach [Al Golden] is preaching, and that’s the main thing, which is smarter, tougher, more disciplined and better conditioning,” Swasey said. “He’s all of that. His mother and father did a great job with him, and it shows.”

James was a highly sought after high school RB recruit that was under-utilized at Miami, being stuck behind Lamar Miller and then this year sharing the load with Freshman standout Duke Johnson. That's okay, because it means that this bruiser's legs are fresh.

At 5'10, 223, he has the nice, compact build with a thick lower body that almost seems a necessity in the bruising AFC North division. His 28 reps on the bench only hint at how much of a gym rat James truly is, while his 4.53 speed is excellent for a man his size. He also tested well in the Vertical (35 Inches) and 3 Cone (6.93) while being averge at best in the short shuttle at his Pro Day (4.34).

James has everything you want in a running back prospect. He has NFL caliber size, power, and speed. He has off the charts leadership and work ethic, and will be a boon to the lockerroom and community. He has the versatility to be effective at running the ball, catching the ball, pass blocking, and even lead blocking since he's spent considerable time as a Fullback as well his first couple seasons at Miami. What James needs is more time and carries to learn the nuances of the position. The talent, ability, and work ethic is all there. Now he just needs to work on feel. Cincinnati will give him that time and training. And while he learns, he can be effective in spot duty, and dominate on special teams.

After a bit of a draft mistake the New York Giants are back on the clock to re-select their final pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. THE NEW YORK GIANTS ARE PROUD TO SELECT; FS, BRANDAN BISHOP, NORTH CAROLINA STATE

Bishop is a smart, disciplined defender who uses his cover awareness to put himself in the right spot at the right time. He isn't the most explosive athlete and shows some obvious stiffness, but he makes up for his lack of speed with his heady instincts and anticipation.

Analysis
Strengths
Wide body nose tackle with an unexpected bit of quickness off the snap. Has girth through the middle that makes him tough to move when he looks to anchor. Keeps his eyes in the backfield and locates the ball well (and will sniff out the occasional screen). Uses strong hands and upper body to rip past and push aside lesser linemen. Good flexibility and balance, showing the ability to bend and roll his hips through contact off the ball and keep a wide base to anchor against base blocks and doubles. Violent tackler, will throw ball carriers to the ground. Has enough short-area quickness to charge through the A-gap off the snap. Spins off blocks when moving forward to threaten hesitating quarterbacks or get a hand on running backs in the backfield. Can two-gap, moves to either side of his man to corral backs coming between the tackles. Shows good leverage, pad level, and hand quickness to split double teams. When fresh, he will chase a bit more than most players his size against the run as well as give a second effort if his initial pass rush move fails.
Weaknesses
Lacks closing speed to get a lot of sacks or make plays outside the box. Overly reliant on the swim move. Does not bull linemen backwards very often, won’t out-quick NFL guards. Flashes quickness off the snap, but gets stuck on blocks too often when tired, and loses ability to get to the ball even if able to disengage. Can get low and create a pile on the goal line, but gets pushed back when playing high in other short-yardage situations. Doesn’t have the athleticism to stop his momentum. Will run himself too far upfield and miss sacks and tackles when he can’t stop himself and break down. Turns 24 during the 2012 season.
NFL Comparison
Terrance Knighton
Bottom Line
Williams quit the game after high school, but missed it enough to try again as a junior college enrollee. He should project as a starting NFL nose tackle, even if he is rotated out regularly against more pass-heavy offenses. Uses his hustle to chase ball carriers (20.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks in two years starting) and strong anchor to hold the line. He has good quickness in relation to his size, but is overly reliant on this athleticism at the moment. Plays both three-technique and one-technique for North Carolina, and it's likely he’s been coached/asked to be more of a penetrator than he will be in the NFL. For a player with his size and strength, you'd like to see him use it more. When he decides to get his pads low and anchor against base blocks and double teams, he can be impossible to move. Opposing teams made it a concern to try and run him upfield, or use his active motor in backside pursuit against him (running away from him to get him to chase and wear out).

Overview
Great American novelist Thomas Wolfe popularized the expression, "You Can't Go Home Again" with his classic of the same name published posthumously in 1940. Jarvis Jones, a Columbus, Ga. native who originally signed with Southern Cal, would certainly beg to differ.

Jones earned playing time immediately with the Trojans, seeing time primarily on special teams and as a backup strong-side linebacker in their 4-3 alignment. He suffered a sprained neck in the eighth game of the season (Oregon), however, and missed the rest of the year. Team doctors refused to clear him for participation the following spring and after seeking other opinions, Jones elected to transfer back to Georgia.

He sat out the 2010 campaign per NCAA transfer guidelines before absolutely exploding onto the SEC scene the following season. Primarily asked to rush the passer as an outside linebacker in Georgia's 3-4 alignment, Jones led the SEC in sacks (13.5) and tackles for loss (19.5) while posting 70 tackles overall (second on the team by two stops). He earned consensus first-team all-conference honors, quite a few All-American nods and was voted a finalist for the Butkus Award as the nation's best linebacker.

Having earned First-Team All-SEC honors in each of his two eligible seasons at Georgia, Jones has proven himself to be a playmaker against both the pass and run. The 6-2, 242-pounder led the country in three critical statistics -- sacks (14.5), tackles for loss (24.5) and forced fumbles (seven) despite missing two games (Kentucky, Florida Atlantic) due to injury.

As dynamic as he is, the redshirt junior's medical grade will ultimately determine his draft status. He was diagnosed with a mild case of spinal stenosis in 2009 and some NFL doctors may be unwilling to clear him.

Strengths
Elite playmaker off the edge. Possesses an explosive burst to complement very good timing to consistently cross the face of offensive tackles and get them backpedaling. Has enough flexibility to dip under their reach and close on the quarterback, demonstrating strong hands and an eye for ripping the ball free for the sack and forced fumble. Stronger than he looks and has an effective bull-rush. Also uses this strength to be surprisingly effective in setting the edge despite routinely giving up 70-plus pounds to opponents. Locates the ball quickly and pursues with passion. Athletic enough to drop back into coverage.

Weaknesses
Size limitations. Possesses an impressive build but a frame that may not have much room for additional mass. Relies an awful lot on speed, showing few complementary pass rush moves. Was diagnosed with a spinal stenosis condition while at USC, a condition which has led some notable NFL players to end their careers rather abruptly, including San Diego Chargers Pro Bowl left tackle Marcus McNeill a year ago at just 28 years old.

Compares to
Von Miller, OLB, Denver Broncos -- Jones isn't quite as explosive off the snap or as reliable an open-field tackler as Miller but he's close. The medical concerns are frightening but make no mistake, Jones is a Pro Bowl talent whose impact in the NFL will be immediate.

Rationale for the pick from BowlenBall
Best player available, and a top-3 player in this draft IF his back holds up....

With the 88th pick of the 2013 Orange Mane mock draft the Green Bay Packers select:

Montee Ball RB Wisconsin

Strengths

A powerfully built back - 5-foot-10, 214 pounds
Strong lower body with legs that never stop churning
Runs with a low center of gravity
Improves as games wear on, punishing defenders along the way
Capable but unnatural receiver - most of his catches came on screen passes
Quality in blitz pickup
Stifling stiff arm and is more nimble than often given credit for - makes well-timed cuts that allow for excellent momentum shifts
Very patient runner - sets up his blocks
Finishes runs and has a nose for the end zone

Weaknesses

Tremendous workload at Wisconsin - 983 offensive touches in four years (366 in 2012)
Benefitted in 2011 from one of the best offensive lines in recent NCAA memory in a run-first system
Lacks a second gear - 4.66 seconds in the 40-yard dash - and an initial burst
Durability concerns - multiple concussions and a lot of wear on his tires
Been involved in off-the-field incidents but was cleared of any wrongdoing - enough of a red flag to warrant a mention
Limited to no upside
Expected draft placement

Ball is an all-around solid but unspectacular running back and should be a second-day pick. The decorated rusher could go to any number of teams, but several that stand out include the New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers, St. Louis Rams, Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons.

Notes
The Alabama prep was a four-year starter for the football team while also lettering in basketball and baseball. As a true freshman in 2009, he appeared in 10 games with four starts and rushed 107 times for 478 yards (4.5-yard average) with three touchdowns and snatched seven passes for 72 yards (10.3-yard average) and zero touchdowns. Missed two games (Mississippi, South Carolina) and was limited in two others due to a sprained ankle. Saw action in nine games (three starts) in '10, posting 66-331-3 (5.0) rushing and 9-32-0 (3.6) receiving before being sidelined for the season with a concussion. Lost consciousness following a helmet-to-helmet hit vs. Florida in 2010. Earned team MVP honors and broke the school's single-season records for rushing yards and rushing touchdowns in '11 after piling up 201-1,193-14 (5.9) on the ground and 20-106-0 (5.3) in the air in 13 starts to become the first Commodore since 1995 to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season. Ran for 207-1,141-10 (5.5) and grabbed 10-205-0 (20.5) in 13 starts in '12, setting the school records for career rushing yards (3,143) and rushing touchdowns (303). Also became the first Vanderbilt back to ever have back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. Contributed 10 career punt returns for 64 yards, two kickoff returns for 15 yards, and completed 3-of-10 passes for 67 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Fumbled nine times in 649 career touches and averaged 5.4 yards per carry. Team captain. Has a handicapped younger brother who he often brought to team facility.

Positives
Extremely strong and well-muscled with a compact frame. Bench presses nearly twice his weight and can squat a small house. Runs hard with good run instincts and anticipation -- patient reading blocks. Very smart and handles a variety of assignments and alignments -- is used in wildcat formation and as a slot receiver. A highly respected, confident, inspiring team leader and the type you root for. Self-motivated and has a passion for the game.

Negatives
Small hands. Not explosive and lacks big-play speed. Average elusiveness (short-stepper). Does not play big or power through many tackles -- is turned easily in the hole, often goes down on first contact and legs will stall on contact (not a pile-driver). Much of production is schemed. Average hands.

Summary
A tough, north-south runner most ideally suited for a zone-based ground game such as the Texans, Redskins, Packers, or Seahawks.

Rationale for the Pick from BowlenBall
The Pittsburgh Steelers go into the 2013 draft with Jonathan Dwyer as the #1 back on their roster, and not much else backing him up. Staying true to our drafting philosophy that good running backs can be found late in the draft, we patiently waited while other backs we liked (Eddie Lacy, Johnathon Franklin) were snatched up. Our patience finally paid off with the last pick in the 6th round, as we feel that Stacy is a very underrated back in this draft, with great measurables AND great production at the highest level of college football.

Looking forward to schooling all you gentlemen in the 2014 OM Mock draft as well....

Vikings select Lerentee Mccray OLB/pass rusher Florida.....6'2 250 4.65.
Can start out as a pass rush specialist and groom into a SLB and could be used in the same way Von Miller is. I can dream right?